I'm With You
by Wild Cherry Pepsi
Summary: A little fic about Ginny and---who? LOL. Anyway, rated because there are some flashbacks that could be scary for younger kids, a few cusses, a suggestive sentance *giggles*, and kisses. Please R&R!!! All my own work, besides the characters and setting. Th


Ginny Weasley looked excited and anxious, standing all alone on a balcony of the  
  
Hogwarts castle. Her green eyes twinkled as she scanned her surroundings for something. She could hear in the background the distant music of the ball going on downstairs.  
  
In her hands she held a worn peice of parchment, folded into a tiny square. Closing her eyes, Ginny, having it memorized, silently repeated every word of it in her mind.  
  
  
  
Dear Ginny,   
  
Meet me on the highest balcony of the castle tonight during the ball, at 11:00.   
  
  
  
Your secret admirer  
  
  
  
  
  
That was all, but it was enough for Ginny. It was enough to know that someone knew her name, someone knew her face, someone knew she was alive.   
  
  
  
Thinking she had heard movement, Ginny smoothed out her long, black, triple-strapped dress she had bought for the ball and turned around. Nothing. Maybe it had just been the rustle of the trees below her.   
  
  
  
Checking her silver watch, Ginny bit her lip and ran her fingers through her ringlets. It was 11:14.   
  
  
  
Blowing it off, Ginny bent over the railing and stared below her at the courtyard, looking pretty in the soft moonlight. On her left was a small portion of the lake, black  
  
with the twinkle of stars in its reflection. Turning her head, far to the right was the  
  
forbidden forest.   
  
  
  
Ginny leaned her head on her elbow and glanced up. Stars, stars, and more stars.   
  
  
  
A pretty night, but nothing Ginny hadn't seen before. Where was the adventure? She wondered. She might not know its location, but she knew it was 14 minutes late.   
  
  
  
Getting tired, she sat down on the stone railing. Her foot tapped impatiently for what seemed like hours, along with a sigh here and there. Watch checks.   
  
  
  
20 minutes late.  
  
  
  
More foot tapping. Sighs. Watch checks. Yawns. And Ginny's eyes began to fill with tears. They stung so bad she closed her eyes and leaned back, trying hard not to let them out.  
  
  
  
Maybe nobody really knew her, after all.  
  
  
  
~I'm standing on the bridge  
  
I'm waiting in the dark  
  
I thought that you'd be here  
  
By now~  
  
Pushing back the tears, sniffing, Ginny dared to look at her watch again. 11:24. Maybe the person just had really bad handwriting and they were coming later. Or maybe...maybe...Ginny couldn't covince herself that her secret admirer had cared enough to be here on time.   
  
  
  
Rain started to fall. Hardly any at first, little droplets leaving no trace of  
  
themselves on the balcony. Then a little more, leaving what looked like tears on Ginny's face, dampening her red hair. Her dress began to get damp, too, sticking uncomforatably to her ankles.   
  
  
  
The rain began to fall full-blast the next minute. Huge drops, leaving Ginny with soaked, staight hair, her dress tangled around her legs, she was shivering with the cold and with her silent tears that mixed with the rain on her face.  
  
  
  
Closing her eyes once more, she heard a cold voice. So familiar, the same one that she had heard a few years ago. A voice that guided her, seeming as if it knew what the right thing was. The voice that put her under spells, controlling her every move, her dreams, her thoughts. The voice of Tom Riddle.  
  
  
  
His whispery voice, hissing: "Ginny....no one else wants you now...no one...join me, and I will always take care of you....I will always have use of you...come to  
  
me....Ginny....Ginny, come to me...I will make you feel known...you can do something of worth...Ginny....Ginny..."  
  
  
  
"NO!!!" Ginny screamed, bouncing up from the railing.   
  
~There's nothing but the rain  
  
No footsteps on the ground   
  
I'm listening   
  
but there's no sound~  
  
Ginny realized she was shivering and sat back down. Her skinny arms wrapped around her shaking knees and she closed her eyes once again. Briefly she considered going back into the ball, or up to her dorm, but she couldn't seem to get herself to stand up.  
  
  
  
Her mind whirled again. The memories of Tom Riddle filled her head, his handsome face next to hers, and looking into his eyes...flashes of lightning, dripping blood all over her fingers, the wall... the shining puddles, chicken feathers...laying at the foot of the statue...a feeling of safety...the feeling Tom gave her. Maybe she even loved him, through all that he had done to her.  
  
  
  
Okay, Gin, you're out of your mind now...straighten up...go inside...Ginny  
  
thought. She opened her eyes slowly and brought herself into a standing position, her head still hung and her hair in her face. Her legs still wouldn't move, so she tipped her head back again and let the rain soothe her hot face from crying.  
  
~ Isn't anyone trying to find me?  
  
Won't somebody come take me home?~  
  
  
  
There's no use standing out here crying to myself, Ginny thought. Her head turned to look inside at the corridor behind the glass doors she had come through. It looked very nice for Christmas- the stone floor was dust-free, the portraits and suits of armor polished, mistletoe, ringing bells, holly, candles, the works.   
  
  
  
Why wouldn't anyone come?  
  
  
  
Ginny dared herself to look at her watch. It was midnight already.   
  
  
  
She knew she should go inside, but something was holding her back, like a hook around her spine. Something was out here waiting for her.   
  
  
  
Sniffing, the knew she wanted Tom right now. He always made her feel safe, he made her feel like somebody really knew who she was.   
  
  
  
Ginny paused a moment before reaching over to pick up the note she had thrown on the ground. Was it his handwriting? Ginny's head began to spin again, slowly at first but getting faster and she could barely read the letter again.   
  
  
  
But it wasn't him.   
  
  
  
Ginny tried hard not to cry again, but she couldn't help it.  
  
  
  
"What's wrong?" a bored voice asked from the side of the balcony.  
  
  
  
Ginny gasped and stood up immediatly, wiping her tears.  
  
  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
  
  
Whoever it was, it was a boy. She could tell from his voice, plus his height and the shape of his shoulders. He was muscly, she saw that even from looking at him with his black cloak of velvet. His face was hidden in the shadows, but she thought he sounded familiar.  
  
  
  
The boy laughed softly. "You know me, Ginny."  
  
  
  
She bit her lip. She knew his voice, but his name and face she couldn't put think of.   
  
  
  
"Well, what do want, then?" She asked coldly.  
  
  
  
Without a word, the boy held out his hand for Ginny's.   
  
  
  
Hesitating, Ginny put her hand forward, but quickly drew it back.  
  
  
  
"Did you write me this note?" She asked in a low voice. She shoved the note near him.   
  
  
  
The boy skimmed the paper and then laughed again. "Ginny, Ginny...I don't write love notes."  
  
  
  
"Oh." Ginny sighed. Noticing that his hand was still outstretched, she took it.  
  
  
  
The boy drew her into a hug, the same one Tom would have given her. It wasn't all and happy and loving- it felt like a promise, tight and dead serious.   
  
  
  
"Come on," He whispered. "Let's go."  
  
  
  
Ginny nodded and allowed him to take her down a ladder to the grounds of the castle. It felt wet under her high heels, rain and mud sinking into them, so she kicked them off and cast a spell on them to zoom up to her dorm.   
  
  
  
He still held her hand tight as he walked with her, exchanging few words, but Ginny could feel how right this was. He would protect her.  
  
~It's those damn cold nights  
  
trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand  
  
Take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I...I'm with you  
  
I'm with you~  
  
Soon Ginny found herself entering the forbidden forest. Her hand was enterlaced with the boy's as he lead her into a small clearing, the moon giving them little light. As she looked up, she was mesmerized by the boy's eyes, gleaming and the only thing she could see of him.   
  
  
  
He took both of her hands in his cold ones and faced her. Those eyes...like ice.  
  
Gleaming like silver or like the waters of the lake, trapping her into watching her own reflection.  
  
  
  
A giggle bubbled from inside her throat as she leaned her head into his shoulder.   
  
  
  
"I think I must be going crazy." She whispered into his neck. Ginny felt his laugh before she heard it.   
  
  
  
Why'd you say that? That sounds stupid, she thought.  
  
  
  
"Maybe we're all crazy." He whispered back.  
  
  
  
OK, that wasn't so stupid.  
  
  
  
Without looking into his eyes, Ginny took him back out of the forest, the snow crunching softly under their feet.   
  
  
  
His gaze caught her once again as she whirled around. A million thoughts turned through her head, but only a few could form themselves into a straight line.   
  
  
  
"I don't get it." She muttered.  
  
  
  
The boy smiled in his eyes. "You were all alone. You're always alone. And I'm always surrounded by a crowd. We both needed a change." He stated simply.  
  
Ginny raised a thin eyebrow. "And you're not very modest about your popularity, are you?"   
  
  
  
"Not at all."  
  
  
  
Ginny broke the gaze and looked at the white ground, biting her lip softly.   
  
~I'm looking for a place   
  
Searching for a face   
  
Is anybody here I know   
  
Cause nothing's going right   
  
And everything's a mess   
  
And no one likes to be alone~  
  
"I didn't mean it like that, Gin." He began before Ginny cut him off.  
  
  
  
"It's alright, I swear it is. I know, OK? Don't feel bad." She declared in a sincere voice.  
  
  
  
He nodded. "If you say so."  
  
  
  
Ginny paused. She remembered that voice shouting across the hall, in the corridors... Who the hell was he?  
  
  
  
The voice once again broke through her thoughts. "Hey, let's go somewhere."  
  
  
  
"We are somewhere." She retorted sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"No need to be so feisty. Although they're often fun that way, especially in-"  
  
  
  
Ginny held a white finger to his lips. They almost held a burning sensation.   
  
  
  
"I have an idea where that sentance was leading, and I have no desire to hear about it." She smiled.  
  
  
  
She felt him do the same under her finger. Hastily she took it away, her finger beginning to hurt a little.   
  
  
  
"OK, let's do something then." She said.  
  
  
  
He pulled out a wand and pointed it at the far side of the castle. "Accio Nimbus 2001!" The shiny broom appeared at his side.  
  
"Jump on." He bowed and motioned for Ginny to get on in front of him. As she did she shivered slightly with the cold, then feeling a strong arm lock around her waist and another reaching around to hold the front of the broomstick. With a push, they were off.   
  
Flying high over the lake, Ginny settled back into the boy's strong body and closed her eyes. The cool breeze floated over her face and played with the ends of her hair. What are you doing? You don't even know this guy!! A small voice squeaked, making Ginny feel very weird, battling between staying in his strong arms or going back to her dorm.  
  
~Oh why is everything so confusing?  
  
Maybe I'm just out of my mind~   
  
With a swoop they landed in the soft snow. Ginny noticed sadly that his arms had left her waist as she stood up and watched the broomstick fly away. Even long after it was out of sight, Ginny was still left staring.  
  
  
  
"You haven't said anything for about a half hour." Startled, Ginny blinked a few times.  
  
  
  
"Oh, that. I was just...just thinking." She replied, before grabbing his hand once more and slowly taking him around the long walls of the castle. They didn't exchange words this time either; but the way her hand fit perfectly in his, and the way she felt his muscles brushing against arms, and her hair drenched on her head and occasionally touching his elbows felt perfect. She feared words would ruin it.   
  
  
  
That doesn't make any sense, stupid. This whole thing is stupid.  
  
~It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I dont know who you are  
  
but I... I'm with you~  
  
  
  
"Why aren't we talking?" Ginny inquired without looking at him.  
  
  
  
"Because. I feel like words would ruin it." He said back simply.  
  
  
  
OK, so that wasn't so stupid.  
  
"That's funny. I thought the same thing." Ginny smiled and leaned into his  
  
shoulder.  
  
~It's a damn cold night   
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand   
  
Take me somewhere new   
  
I don't know who you are,  
  
but I...I'm with you  
  
It's a damn cold night   
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand   
  
Take me somewhere new   
  
I don't know who you are,  
  
but I...I'm with you~  
  
The two reached the front of the castle, hand-in-hand. Sadly, Ginny realized she would have to go to bed and say goodbye to the stranger. She faced him on the top step, looking into the spell-binding eyes and realized he was smirking and pointing above them.  
  
Ginny glanced up quickly. There, twenty feet above them was a sprig of mistletoe, lit up by the small torches on either side of the doors.   
  
~It's a damn cold night   
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand   
  
Take me somewhere new   
  
I don't know who you are,  
  
but I... (long pause)~  
  
A smile lit up Ginny's features as her eyes turned back to him.   
  
The boy quickly closed in and put his cold hands on either side of her head.  
  
This wasn't the sort of kiss most girls dreamed about, warm and soft. This kiss was intense and a little scary, like he was establishing dominance through it. She thought she might even stop breathing. But Ginny loved every single lasting moment of it.  
  
~I'm with you~  
  
After what seemed like hours they broke apart, and Ginny could finally see the boy's face is the torch light. He was so handsome; shiny pale blonde hair falling into his silvery eyes, a pale and slightly pointed face, white lips...  
  
It was the face of Draco Malfoy.  
  
She gasped in shock. But then, slowly, her eyes traveled down again to his lips  
  
and she gave him a soft peck.  
  
And without another word, she turned and ran.  
  
~I'm with you...~ 


End file.
